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Cheap desk advice...


Mr Steve

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Hi,

 

I've just got some scans, which are good for the money. I also purchased a Botex Scene Setter 1224 desk to run them off. After having a play with it, it turns out it is cheap, nasty and horrible. You cannot record fade times in a chase, they are set manually on a time section of the desk. This is useless!!! It also has no facility for LTP/HTP or allocatting a channel as a dimmer channel either, so when you hit "blackout" all channels dip to zero (yes, mirrors, colour etc).

 

 

I need some advice on which desks can handle moving lights (these scans are 6 channel prolight leader MSD250 efforts, four of them). I think I want something like a Q-commander, but that is out of my price range. If any one on here has had experience of low cost/cheap and nasty desks for moving light control, I'd love to hear from them.

 

Thanks

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If money is tight you may want to have a look at something like a Zero88 diablo desk to run your fixtures and keep you other desk for generics.

 

see Zero88 Diablo

 

I haven't used this desk but I did research this option when I upgraded to my Fat Frog.

 

Have fun choosing,

Andrew.

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Re: the whole original desk option you can't expect a Botex 12/24 at £150ish to be able to do anything more than the real basics.

 

As for new suggestions - Stage Electrics currently have a very good price on the Diablo's (about £350ex vat). If your looking to spend a bit more, Usedlighting have a MA Scancommander @ £1,250 and 10outof10 have some Celco Navigators at about £900.

 

For a decent ML capable desk you have to be prepared to spend at least a little bit of dosh.

 

HTH

Stu

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Cheers. I'm just looking into the Enttec USB interface jobby, with the 36Ch LightFactory software. I don't need loads of channels, and can easily get my hands on a laptop.

 

I also looked at the Zero88 Diablo, but I think that has the same way of doing fade times, like the stupid Botex desk.

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If you were to use the B/O button, aren't all attributes going to go to zero anyway? (mirror, gobos, lamp etc) I use a Masterpiece 108 and when I hit B/O, everything goes to zero or reset positions, that is until I cancel B/O and everything resumes as before.
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Hi

 

Diablo does not work like the Botex desk. It works like a moving light desk should. It treats LTP and HTP channels differently. BO will only change the intensity, it won't change mirrors, colour etc. It is also possible to do some cleverish things with times.

 

By the way you can also run 18 generic channels.

 

Graham

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I use a Masterpiece 108 and when I hit B/O, everything goes to zero or reset positions, that is until I cancel B/O and everything resumes as before.

 

This is because the Masterpiece desks don't use LTP channels only HTP channels for all attributes, which to me is one of the major flaws of the desk!

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oh the disasterpiece.....yuk

 

 

Im still using a Q commander, and its great, does everything you want it to do.

 

And whats this about the programming mode

 

No partial-mode programming - when you program a step/scene, whatever is being output is recorded, regardless of whether its changed or not

 

thats not true, any channel that isnt altered is made transparent, only altered channels are recorded, they call it overlay.

 

*Touch pads are too sensitive - running your finger along them can activate them

 

yep tis true, but this the whole point, the desk is aimed at club lighting, so opps can play away, and create light with minimal effort.

 

the desk would be better if it had a floppy drive, rather than a PCMCIA solt, but again ive bought all my cards from ebay for around £10 each.

 

the fixture library on my desk is superb, it has 99.9% of all intelligent fixtures on it, including all the latest Martin, VL, and Robe brands.

 

Lightprocessor update my desk for free every so often, I post the card off, they post it back loaded with personalitys, simple.

 

the desk is very much a buskers desk, I get on with it great. And always get rave reviews when ever im using it.

 

the Q commander is slightly exspensive but ive just seen an exstended one go on ebay for £800.

 

the desk also has shape generators for both generic and intelligent lighting.

 

In all the Q commander will handle you scanners like a dream :(

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